His Most Beautiful Smile
by Wingstar23
Summary: One Shot, Kenshin's POV. A rourouni's thoughts as he watches the children play and is once more reminded of all he has done. Okay, bad summary I know, but i tried. '


A/N: Okay first off, I don't own Kenshin or any other part of that anime. Second, I know at least eighty other fics like this one are out there, but I was inspired so there you are. ' Oh, expect fluffy angst as it is this one's specialty. Other than that, feel free to comment/read/whatever else you may want to do.

_His Most Beautiful Smile_

There he was again, watching the children play and smiling that same smile- the smile that held all the innocence of the world… and all the sorrow. His eyes softened, filling with the deep regret that always pressed down on him as he watched a little one draw a toy sword and declare that this time it was _his_ turn to be Battousai and that the rest better run before he killed them.

Himura Kenshin, once known as Shinta, and forever to be known as the infamous Hitokiiri Battousai, sighed sadly. There it was again; another reminder of his past. Another moment of peace blown away in the face of reality…

How many lives had he taken, he wondered. How many fathers had he killed? How many brothers? How many innocent children, thrown into battle to defend a cause not their own, had he been forced to kill?

Too many… He'd lost count long ago of the numbers, but he never forgot them. How could he when their blood was permanently etched into every line on his hands- into the cross-shaped scar on his cheek. The scar that he had received, first when he ended the life of Tomoe's lover and again as he held her in his arms, watching her use her last breath to cut across the thin gash already on his cheek. The cut that never stopped bleeding until the moment she died and he was reborn.

Fitting, he thought, that this one should wear a scar that will never heal.

Why shouldn't he be denied true happiness? After all, as Battousai he had caused so much pain- why should God choose to send him peace now? He knew that the blood he had spilt would never come off his hands no matter what he did. He also knew that, though he could not return the lives of those that died, he _could _honor their memory in how he lived now.

He smiled softly as this thought crossed his mind. Strangely enough, he drew comfort in knowing he could atone for his sins by becoming a rourouni. As the cheerful wanderer he lived in peace, never raising his sakabato unless it was to defend the helpless or those he loved.

It was because of this new life that he had found Kaoru-dono. It was because of this new life that he now felt feelings stirring in him that he thought had died long ago. Feelings of love, of wanting to protect her no matter what the cost. Of course he would defend Yahiko and Sanosuke's life if need be, but for Kaoru-dono he would kill if he had to. For her he would break his vow to never take another life.

She was his last chance to bring honor to Tomoe's memory and he would not let her die. After all if she died, then so would the last part of his heart. He had killed his love once, thought he would never find another who could make him feel that way again and now that he could feel this new love for Kaoru-dono start to blossom in his heart he wasn't about to let it go.

His smile had grown so that it looked as if he were truly happy and he sighed again, this time in contentment. Yes, this was the way he would redeem his blackened soul. He would protect those who could not protect themselves, never taking a life and never fighting unless he had no other choice, and he would keep Kaoru-dono safe. He would keep her alive and happy until the day he died so that when he finally took his last breath he would die knowing he had done all he could to atone for Tomoe.

A hand suddenly fell on his shoulder and the wanderer turned, knowing who it was by the softness of the touch.

Kaoru looked up at him, her eyes half-worried, half-amused and he gave her his best smile. She smiled back at him and followed him back into the dojo, thinking that the smile he had just given her was his most beautiful.

A/N: Okay, so it's not that great because it's my first ever Kenshin related fanfic. I tried to do it right and I'm sorry if it sucked. Anyhow, feel free to leave whatever comments you will and until we meet again.

Tenshi Kitsune


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